1924 Wants Its Ceasar Back

This is my Ode’ to Americana culture, so don’t blink.

If it hadn’t been for my mentor's curious and elevating mind, this would not be here. He was obsessed and driven to pioneer a better way to deliver on tradition and did so with great passion. For that alone, he is a legend.

In his later years, he played in his home lab with what he loved to eat from the Americana playbook. Barbeque, cheeseburgers, and the dreaded Caesar salad. In his early years, he was bound in a prison of his design. Aggressively steadfast to every detail of proper traditional provincial Italian cooking.

Later in life, I was gifted to witness his evolution on a personal level. He came unbound. We never spoke of this, and I would only realize the significance of this metamorphosis later in my life, probably at the same age.

No longer tethered to the past or some unwritten code, he explored his desires. He didn't give a flying F#@K what anyone thought, and the beauty in this was that, for the first time, the general public was not merely “money walking.”

He began to care about them. He may have explained it very cynically, but I know now that he started to care, and his duality was more difficult for him than I could ever understand.

No one would dare question him other than his wife, and I know that she supported whatever brought him happiness, which came at a significant cost. But he alone attacked and defended his decision to put this ubiquitous salad on his menu, to bare his openness and freedom.

There is no way I can convey his defense outside his actual words, which aren't pretty or polite. But it is how he spoke that masks his shyness and gentle nature.

He told me,” Steven, people like to be kissed while they're F@#$ed.” Thus, his version of the Caesar salad was solidified in history books.

Now, being his mentee, it was the intention that I master his craft, rise, and evolve. My way of cooking has become and will always continue to evolve. So it was very different even as I made this “Parmigiano-Umami Emulsion” for my first restaurant.

Now, it is recognizable but far more refined and profound. Why place this tasty emulsion or vinaigrette on romaine? And why use even the best store-bought anchovy filets or paste them?

Because they are terrible and they come from nefarious sources. Even if you're preserving your freshly caught anchovies in high-quality olive oil or sea salt, anchovies must be fried to release their umami.

Let us be honest: you have to be somewhat of a masochist to say that you enjoy the flavor. I use fish sauce—my fish sauce, to be specific. I also use mustard greens, which are much deeper, more balanced, and nutritious.

And to answer that lingering question. “Can I substitute this for that?” Absolutely! Will it be the same? No, but if you follow your gut, listen to the ingredients, and play with childlike fancy, see the “Pantry Items” section for help from online sources.

All that being said, let me introduce the 2024 version of “The Dreaded Caesar.”

Caesar Salad Emulsion

Ingredients:

Use the highest quality ingredients that you can afford.

1 cup grated Reggiano Parmigiano cheese (plus extra for finishing)

1 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese

1 tsp Jacobsen Salt Co Kosher Oregon Sea Salt

1 Tbsp Organic Raw Sugar

1 Tbsp Dijon Mustard

1 Tbsp Bonito Flakes (soak in the vinegar while you prep)

2 Tbsp Third Coast Fish Sauce

2 oz. Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce

5 oz. Champagne or Apple Cider Vinegar (only “with mother”)

1 tsp Cry Baby Craig's Chile Sauce

3 small Garlic Cloves, freshly peeled and crushed

1 oz. freshly squeezed Meyer Lemon juice (if you are not using Meyer lemons, add an additional 1 Tbsp organic raw sugar)

1 Tbsp. Black Pepper

2 cups Organic Grapeseed Oil ( plus extra for frying)

1 Rustic Sourdough loaf ( torn into bite-sized pieces)

“Méthode de Champenoise”

Step 1. Place all ingredients into a food processor or emulsifier except for the oil.

Step 2. If using a food processor, slowly and evenly add the oil to the mixture. End result will be emulsified.

Step 2.0. If using an enclosed emulsifier, follow step one. When ingredients have combined, add the entire 2 cups of oil. Emulsify quickly, no longer than 30 seconds, allow to rest then again for a further 30 seconds, until completely emulsified.

Step 3. In a wok, or thick- bottomed saucepan, heat several cups of grapeseed or sunflower oil to 340 degrees. In small batches fry the torn bread, turning them constantly. They are finished when they are a deep chestnut brown, they have zero “give” or pliability, but are not too dark and brittle. Yes, it’s a fine line. Season while warm with sea salt and Reggiano Parmigiano.

Step 4. Select your greens. I prefer mustards and chicories, but again, this is to please you, so experiment and find your happy place. There is no wrong answer.

Create your own story! Enjoy!